2011年9月14日4時30分発表 14日3時には日本の南の海上にあって、北へゆっくり進んでいます。中心気圧は998hPa、中心付近の最大風速は18m/sです。この台風は、15日3時には南大東島の東南東約320km、16日3時には奄美大島の南南東約220km、17日3時には沖縄の南へ達する見込みです。Heading toward Okinawa and the Sea of China, a slight chance he might turn north-east on the 18th.

2011年9月15日13時30分発表 15日12時には南大東島の東約110kmにあって、西北西へ毎時15kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は992hPa、中心付近の最大風速は18m/sです。この台風は、16日0時には南大東島の北北西約70km、16日12時には奄美大島の南約170km、17日9時には沖永良部島の南南東約50km、18日9時には沖縄本島近海に達するでしょう。The effects of the humid air are felt already. There will be rain along the Pacific coast of Japan.

and another tropical depression is brewing . . . further east of this typhoon.and another one further west :

2011年9月16日13時30分発表 16日12時には那覇市の東約230kmにあって、北西へゆっくり進んでいます。中心気圧は985hPa、中心付近の最大風速は23m/sです。この台風は、17日12時には那覇市の東約170km、18日9時には那覇市の東約110km、19日9時には沖縄本島近海付近へ達する見込みです。This one is moving very slowly again. Bringing rain to the Pacific coast.It started raining in Ohaga around 15:00 today.

2011年9月17日4時30分発表 17日3時には那覇市の東南東約210kmにあって、南南西へ毎時15kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は985hPa、中心付近の最大風速は23m/sです。この台風は、18日3時には那覇市の東南東約160km、19日3時には那覇市の東南東約110km、20日3時には沖縄本島近海に達するでしょう。Quite heavy rain last night, but now just cloudy in Ohaga.Almost not moving, but probably coming North-East around Septebmer 20.

2011年9月17日16時30分発表 17日15時には那覇市の東南東約250kmにあって、南へゆっくり進んでいます。中心気圧は985hPa、中心付近の最大風速は23m/sです。この台風は、18日15時には那覇市の東南東約160km、19日15時には那覇市の東北東約90km、20日15時には奄美諸島近海付近へ達する見込みです。This one is now definitely turning toward Shikoku on September 21 and Tokai on September 22.It has been raining slightly all day, but not TOOOO bad.

Saturday, September 17, 2011 22:38 - NHKStorm Roke blocked by high-pressure systemsTropical storm Roke, currently located off Okinawa Prefecture, is moving slowly at 10 kilometer per hour.The Meteorological Agency says the storm has largely stalled because 3 high-pressure systems in the east, west and north are blocking its path.Weather officials say the storm is likely to remain stationary near Okinawa for the next 3 days.The storm had an atmospheric pressure of 985 hectopascals as of 6 PM on Saturday, with winds of 82 kilometers per hour or more near its center. The winds are expected to increase up to 90 kilometers per hour as the water temperature around Okinawa is high.Weather officials say it will begin to move northeast by the middle of next week, once the high-pressure systems in the north and east begin to weaken.

4時30分発表 18日3時には那覇市の東南東約320kmにあって、ほとんど停滞しています。中心気圧は975hPa、中心付近の最大風速は30m/sです。この台風は、19日3時には那覇市の東約140kmに進み、20日3時に奄美市の南約120kmの海上に達した後、21日3時には九州の南へ進む見込みです。Hanging in Okinawa, Naha. Supposed to take a turn and be south of Kuyshu on September 21.

No rain all day in Ohaga today - quite a surprize after the weather forecast of more than 150 ml/day, just extremely humid.

.................................................................................2011年9月19日(月) September 19

It has been a quiet night, I even saw some charming pink clouds this morning.

Slight rain all day in the forecast for Ohaga.Strong rain, up to 150 ml/h starting in the night.The typhoon rolling on in the South, and the Autumn Rain Front hanging North in Shimane, Matsue and Tottori, bringing strong rain to the regions below it.

pink morning clouds -a little hopebefore the storm

2011年9月19日4時30分発表 19日3時には南大東島の西北西約110kmにあって、西北西へゆっくり進んでいます。中心気圧は975hPa、中心付近の最大風速は30m/sです。この台風は、19日15時には奄美市の南約150km、20日3時には奄美市の南南東約70kmに達するでしょう。21日3時には四国沖に達する見込みです。22日3時には日本の東に達するでしょう。Expected to be off Shikoku on September 21.

Monday, September 19, 2011 08:59Severe tropical storm lingering near OkinawaSevere tropical storm Roke is still lingering over waters west of Okinawa.Japan's Meteorological Agency says that at 6 AM on Monday, the storm was virtually stationary over waters 110 kilometers west-northwest of Minami Daito Island, Okinawa Prefecture.The central atmospheric pressure is 975 hectopascals. The storm is packing winds of up to 108 kilometers per hour at its center.Roke is expected to continue to move northward slowly over waters east of the Amami and Okinawa islands on Monday. It may approach Japan's main island of Honshu on Tuesday or later.The Agency warns strong winds and rough seas will continue in Okinawa on Tuesday, and that the storm will bring torrential rain to wide areas in western Japan.Rain is also expected to intensify in the Kii Peninsula, western Japan, on Monday evening, where previous rainfalls had caused landslides and other damage.The forecast for Tuesday morning calls for up to 200 millimeters of rain in southern Kyushu, 150 millimeters in northern Kyushu and some parts of western Japan, and 120 millimeters in Okinawa, Amami islands and Kinki region.The Agency is advising people in Okinawa and Amami to be on the alert for strong winds and high waves. It also warns people in western Japan to beware of possible mudslides and swollen rivers.Meanwhile, typhoon Sonca is moving north over waters east of Hachijo Island, south of Tokyo.

It started raining around 6 in the evening.200 ml are forecast until tomorrow evening, another 200 ml for the next day, when the typhoon will be closest to Okayama.

2011年9月19日19時30分発表 19日18時には奄美市の東南東約90kmにあって、北へ毎時15kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は975hPa、中心付近の最大風速は30m/sです。この台風は、20日6時には奄美市の東北東約100km、20日18時には種子島の南南東約130km、21日15時には紀伊半島沖付近に達する見込みです。22日15時には北海道の東に達するでしょう。It is near Amami Oshima, moving north. On September 21, near Kii Peninsular (where typhoon nr. 12 brought much destruction just a short while ago). And then over land toward Hokkaido, maybe right over Tokyo.

.................................................................................2011年9月19日(月) September 20

It has been raining quite strong all night in Ohaga.

The rainclouds are hanging over Japan in a thick blanket, bringing rain to all parts, including Tohoku and Wakayama.It is moving slower than expected and might be south of Shikoku much later in the day tomorrow, maybe going straight over Kii Peninsular (Wakayama).

2011年9月20日4時30分発表 強い台風15号は、20日3時現在、奄美市の東約110kmにあって、東へゆっくり進んでいます。中心気圧は965hPa、中心付近の最大風速は35m/sです。この台風は、20日15時には種子島の南南東約150km、21日3時には都井岬の東南東約180km、22日3時には北日本付近に達する見込みです。23日3時には千島近海で温帯低気圧に変わる見込みです。The typhoon has picked up strength, still hanging in Amami Oshima. It will be south-east of Toi Misaki (Miyasaki, Kyushu) on September 21 around 3 in the morning, then heading further north.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 07:46 - NHK newsTropical storm Roke churns northSevere tropical storm Roke is churning northward over Japan, bringing high winds and heavy rain. It is blowing through the Amami islands in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima. Roke has triggered localized downpours in the southern regions of Kyushu and Shikoku.People living on the Kii Peninsula are bracing for torrential rain, expected from late Monday through Tuesday. A storm triggered major damage in that part of Japan earlier this month.The Meteorological Agency says Roke was 90 kilometers east-southeast of Amami City, Kagoshima Prefecture as of 6 PM local time on Monday. It is moving north at 15 kilometers per hour. The storm is packing winds of up to 108 kilometers per hour at its center.At 5PM local time, about 32 millimeters of rain was falling per hour in a village in Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku.The Meteorological Agency says tropical storm Roke is expected to continue to move north along the east coast of the Amami islands. It says the system will get more powerful as it approaches Japan's main island of Honshu.Roke is expected to bring rainfall of more than 30 millimeters per hour in wide areas, ranging from Japan's southwest to northeast.Downpours up to 50 millimeters per hour are expected in western Japan. That's where the Kii Peninsula is located.Weather officials expect up to 200 millimeters of rain to fall there by Tuesday. Then 300 to 400 millimeters will fall from Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening.The Meteorological Agency is advising residents of Okinawa and Amami to be on alert for strong winds and high waves. It is also warning people in western Japan to beware of possible mudslides and swollen rivers.

Tuesday, Sep. 20, 2011Typhoon Roke threatens more mudslides in west JapanThe national weather agency warned Monday that heavy rain accompanying an approaching typhoon is expected to deluge wide parts of south and northeast Japan, raising fears of fresh landslides and floods in the ravaged Kii Peninsula.... Yutaka Kanda, chief forecaster at the Meteorological Agency, said in a news conference that prolonged rain may start falling early even in areas far from the typhoon as an inflow of humid air from the storm activates a rain front stretching from central Japan toward Tohoku.Up to 150 mm of rain is expected to hit the Kinki region in the 24-hour period starting Monday evening, its local observatory said, adding that Nara and Wakayama may see thunderstorms that could dump up to 30 mm of rain per hour. ...http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110920a8.html

. . . . .

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 10:34 - NHK newsLandslide lake threatens residents in west JapanJapan's land ministry says a lake created by a landslide that blocked a river is probably overflowing in the western city of Tanabe as a result of recent record rainfalls. It is calling on residents downstream to stay on the alert.The ministry says the water level of the lake rose to the top of its mud dam at 8 AM on Tuesday and that it apparently began overflowing 30 minutes later.It also says images taken by a surveillance camera near the lake have not shown any significant changes in the situation but that the possibility of mudslides and other disasters is rising.A ministry official says that all residents in dangerous areas need to evacuate.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 10:42Typhoon Roke approaches JapanTyphoon Roke is heading towards Japan's main island of Honshu. The typhoon is already bringing heavy rain to wide areas of central and western Japan.The Meteorological Agency says Roke will track northeast over the seas south of the island of Kyushu on Monday.The typhoon was moving at 20 kilometers per hour as of Monday noon, packing winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour near its center.Parts of Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu have received 400 millimeters of rain in a single day, and more than 1,000 millimeters since Thursday last week.Some areas in Kyushu face an elevated risk of floods and landslides.Typhoon Roke is expected to pick up speed on Tuesday, and approach western and eastern Japan.Weather officials warn that hourly rainfall could reach 80 millimeters in some parts.

2011年9月20日10時30分発表 強い台風第15号は、20日9時には種子島の南南東約200kmにあって、北東へ毎時20kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は960hPa、中心付近の最大風速は40m/sです。この台風は、20日21時には足摺岬の南約280km、21日9時には室戸岬の南南東約130km、22日9時には北海道付近へ達するでしょう。23日9時には千島近海で温帯低気圧に変わる見込みです。強風半径 : 中心から南東460km / 中心から北西370kmWill pass south of Ashizuri Misaki (Shikoku) on September 20, about 21:00. Then go straight over Japan.Will turn into a tropical depression on September 23.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 14:43 - NHKNagoya advises 470,000 residents to evacuateNagoya City in central Japan has advised about 470,000 residents in over 200,000 households to evacuate as the water levels of nearby rivers continue to rise.The advisories have been issued to 273,000 residents in 4 districts near the Tenpaku River and to 196,000 people in 2 districts along the Shonai River.City workers are now constructing emergency shelters for the evacuees.

. . . . . 15:00I just watched the news.This typhoon is not even here yet and many parts of Japan are already under water, rivers overflowing, homes drenched, roads closed ... the works ... and much more rain to be expected until tomorrow night.Thousands of people not only in Nagoya have now been evacuated along swollen rivers and more will follow by tonight.The rain covers all of Japan, from Tohoku to Kyushu, not to speak of Okinawa, where this slow typhoon is still hanging. And the rain will get stronger as the "real" typhoon clouds hit the region, especially Wakayama, Kinki (Osaka) and then on to Tokyo, picking up speed and then roll over land all the way to Aomori, with a speed of 60 km/h after landfall.

This is the worst scenario I have ever seen.(And here in our Ohaga,still not much rain today until now - a rather eerie quietude.)

One of my local friends has evacuated to Nagoya with her family - seems they now think of coming back before nightfall . . .

My region in West Japan is expecting 250 ml of rain over night. It has suddenly become rather cool, not to say cold - and in the house, we turned on the kotatsu heated table for some warm feet.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 16:15 - NHKTyphoon Roke approaches Japan's Honshu IslandTyphoon Roke is heading towards Japan's main island of Honshu. The typhoon is already bringing heavy rain to wide areas of central and western Japan.The Meteorological Agency says Roke will track northeast over the seas south of the island of Kyushu on Tuesday.The typhoon was moving at 15 kilometers per hour as of 16 PM on Tuesday, packing winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour near its center.Parts of Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu have received 400 millimeters of rain in a single day, and more than 1,000 millimeters since Thursday last week.Some areas in Kyushu face an elevated risk of floods and landslides.Typhoon Roke is expected to pick up speed on Wednesday, and approach western and eastern Japan.Weather officials warn that hourly rainfall could reach 80 millimeters in some parts.

2011年9月20日16時30分発表 16:30強い台風第15号は、20日15時には種子島の南東約190kmにあって、北東へ毎時15kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は950hPa、中心付近の最大風速は40m/sです。この台風は、21日3時には室戸岬の南約180km、21日15時には名古屋市の南約70km、22日15時には千島近海に達する見込みです。その後、温帯低気圧に変わり、23日15時には千島の東に進むでしょう。Still moving with 15 km/h. Supposed to be close to Nagoya tomorrow around 15:00.

. . . . . 17:00I just watched the news.More than 1 million people are now evacuating, many along riversides in Nagoya.(Still no rain in Ohaga.)

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 17:10Nearly 1.3 million advised to evacuateEvacuation advisories and orders have been issued for nearly 1.3 million people in central and western Japan due to dangers of flooding caused by a typhoon.In Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, more than one million people in 480,000 households have been told to evacuate due to the rising water levels of the Tenpaku and Shonai rivers.In Gifu and Hyogo prefectures, an evacuation advisory covers about 56,000 people in 21,000 households.In the southern Kyushu prefecture of Miyazaki, about 12,000 people have been advised to leave due to risk of mudslides in areas where volcanic ash from a nearby mountain has accumulated after recent eruptions.

. . . . . 18:00It started to rain slightly now, in Ohaga too. Most strong rain is now forecast for our region tonight from midnight to early morning.Back to the TV for more flooding river images.

2011年9月20日19時30分発表 19:30強い台風第15号は、20日18時には足摺岬の南約330kmにあって、東北東へ毎時20kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は950hPa、中心付近の最大風速は40m/sです。この台風は、21日6時には潮岬の南南西約200km、21日18時には甲府市付近、22日15時には千島近海に達する見込みです。速度 25km/hSupposed to be at Cape Shio no misaki, Wakayama, around 6 tomorrow morning. And passing Kofu (Yamanashi) around 6 in the evening.

. . . . . 20:00Heavy rain started now in my valley of Ohaga.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 21:07 - NHKTyphoon Roke bringing heavy rain to JapanJapan's Meteorological Agency warns that heavy rain brought by an approaching "very strong" typhoon may trigger landslides and floods in western and central Japan.The agency says that as of 22 PM Tuesday, Typhoon Roke was travelling toward the main island of Honshu at 30 kilometers per hour over the sea south of Kochi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. The strong typhoon was packing winds of up to 180 kilometers per hour near its center.Areas in central and western Japan had hourly rainfall between 30 and 40 millimeters on Tuesday evening.In parts of Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu, 400 millimeters of rain has fallen in one day.Roke is gradually picking up speed. Weather officials say it will approach western and eastern Japan on Wednesday and may make landfall.

2011年9月20日22時30分発表 2:30非常に強い台風第15号は、20日21時には足摺岬の南約270kmにあって、北東へ毎時30kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は940hPa、中心付近の最大風速は50m/sです。この台風は、21日9時には潮岬の南約100kmの海上に進み、21日21時には群馬県に達するでしょう。その後、温帯低気圧に変わり、22日21時にはオホーツク海に達する見込みです.速度 25km/hVery strong typhoon, now moving at 25 km/h. Located south of cape Ashizuri Misaki, Shikoku. Will be in Wakayama by 9 tomorrow morning and pass Gunma prefecture (Kanto, near Tokyo) by 9 tomorrow evening.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 02:13 - NHKTyphoon Roke brings downpoursA very strong typhoon is approaching western Japan, bringing downpours and increasing the risk of mudslides and river flooding.The Meteorological Agency says that as of 1 AM on Wednesday, Typhoon Roke was moving in a northeasterly direction at 25 kilometers per hour over waters to the south of Cape Muroto in Kochi Prefecture.

. . . . . at 5:00A rather sleepless night with constant pounding of heavy rain on the tin roof.I need an extra day when this is over!

More than 1.160.000 people are now evacuated, most of them in Nagoya, Kasugai and Toyoyama in Aichi.So far one person is dead and three missing. Almost all flights are cancelled. Wakayama is on high alert for landslides and overflow of the landfill dams from the last typhoon.

The forecast is rain the whole day, the clouds over Japan have not changed much.

2011年9月21日4時30分発表 at 4:30非常に強い台風第15号は、21日3時には潮岬の南南西約230kmにあって、北東へ毎時30kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は940hPa、中心付近の最大風速は50m/sです。この台風は、21日15時には静岡県に進み、22日3時には八戸市の東約90kmに達するでしょう。その後、温帯低気圧に変わり、23日3時にはオホーツク海に達する見込みです。速度 30km/hThe very strong typhoon of 940hPa is now far south of cape Shio no misaki, Wakayama, moving with a speed of 30 km/h. It will reach Shizuoka by 15:00 today, moving on to Hachinohe in Tohoku at 3:00 on September 22. Then pass over Hokkaido.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 05:39 - NHKTyphoon kills 3, with 2 missingTyphoon Roke has brought heavy rain to western and central Japan, killing 3 people and leaving 2 others missing.Police say a man in Nagoya City, central Japan, was fixing a drain on the rooftop of a building when he fell to his death on Tuesday afternoon. Another man in Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture, was found dead in a nearby river after he went to take a look at it.In Gifu Prefecture, a 4th-grade boy went missing after being swept away in a waterway in the city of Tajimi. An 84-year-old man remains missing in the town of Shirakawa.As of 9 AM on Wednesday, about 750 homes across the nation had been inundated by heavy rain.More than 1.1 million people have been urged to evacuate their homes and take shelter in 14 prefectures in central and western Japan.

. . . . . at 8:00Here the rain has almost stopped and there is no strong wind - but all of Okayama is still on red alert for storm and rain.More people are evacuated as the day unfolds. Many parts of Nagoya are under water.Many mountainous parts of Wakayama are now not accessible, as the typhoon approaches rapidly.

2011年9月21日8時30分発表 非常に強い台風第15号は、21日7時には潮岬の南南西約100kmにあって、北東へ毎時35kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は945hPa、中心付近の最大風速は45m/sです。この台風は、21日18時には群馬県付近へ進み、22日6時には襟裳岬 (Cape Erimo misaki Hokkaido) の東約50kmへ達するでしょう。23日3時にはオホーツク海で温帯低気圧に変わる見込みです。速度 35km/h The typhoon is proceeding as predicted now. Kanto and Tokyo are expecting the worst in the evening around 6 today.

Nagoya orders 80,000 out as typhoon nears - Japan TimesNagoya officials instruct about 80,000 people to evacuate and issues an evacuation advisory to more than 1 million others as Typhoon Roke approaches Honshu, threatening further landslides and flooding.... Disaster management minister Tatsuo Hirano said in the morning that rainwater accumulating behind the mud dams caused earlier this month by Typhoon Talas in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, has "gradually begun to overflow."... In the 24 hours through midday Wednesday, up to 500 mm of rain was expected in the Tokai, Kinki and Shikoku areas, and 250 mm in southern Kyushu, as well as the Kanto-Koshin area in central and eastern Japan. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110921a1.html

. . . . . at 10:00All is quiet in my region.The water in our drainage ditches is receeding already.

The strong typhoon is proceeding as predicted, now about 40 km off Shio no Misaki.We saw some TV footage of the region, whow, quite a storm!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 11:26 - NHKTyphoon kills 4, with 2 missingTyphoon Roke has brought heavy rain to western and central Japan, killing 4 people and leaving 2 others missing.Police say a man in Nagoya City, central Japan, was fixing a drain on the rooftop of a building when he fell to his death on Tuesday afternoon. Another man in the city was found dead in a river on Wednesday morning. In Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture, a man was found dead in a nearby river after he went to take a look at it.In Gifu Prefecture, a 4th-grade boy went missing after being swept away in a waterway in the city of Tajimi. An 84-year-old man remains missing in the town of Shirakawa.As of 9 AM on Wednesday, about 750 homes across the nation had been inundated by heavy rain.More than 1.1 million people have been urged to evacuate their homes and take shelter in 14 prefectures in central and western Japan.

. . . . . at 14:00The typhoon is most probably making landfall near Hamamatsu, Shizuoka. Is is slowly loosing some of its strength.It passed Wakayama, leaving it on the North-Western side, with less rain and wind then expected for this region.

2011年9月21日14時30分発表 - at 14:30非常に強い台風第15号は、21日13時には浜松市の南西約60kmにあって、北東へ毎時40kmで進んでいます。中心気圧は950hPa、中心付近の最大風速は45m/sです。この台風は、22日0時には宮城県付近に達し、22日12時には千島近海に進むでしょう。その後、23日9時には温帯低気圧に変わる見込みです。About 60 km south-west of Hamamatsu, moving with a speed of 40 km/h. Probably be at Miyagi prefecture at midnight. Four people are dead, 3 missing.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 15:02 - NHKTyphoon makes landfall in central JapanTyphoon Roke has made landfall on the Pacific coast of central Japan.Japan's Meteorological Agency says the typhoon landed near Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, at around 2:00 PM on Wednesday.The storm is believed to be heading northeast at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour. It has an atmospheric pressure of 950 hecto-pascals and is packing winds of up to 160 kilometers per hour.Wide areas of central Japan are now in the storm zone. Gusts of more than 125 kilometers per hour were observed in Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, about half an hour before the typhoon made landfall.Roke is bringing heavy rains to central, northern and eastern Japan. Between 1:00 and 2:00 PM, more than 54 millimeters of rain fell in Hamamatsu. Downpours have also been recorded in Yamanashi, Aichi and Kanagawa prefectures.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 15:48Fukushima nuclear plant on typhoon alertWorkers struggling to bring the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control are stepping up precautions in advance of the approaching typhoon.Typhoon Roke is expected to approach Fukushima Prefecture late on Wednesday.Efforts to install steel plates at the plant's water intake area and to decontaminate seawater have been halted for fear of storm surges. Strong winds have forced the suspension of work to cover the No.1 reactor building.Outdoor piping and pumps for injecting water into the reactors have been secured with ropes to keep them from being knocked over by strong winds.Rainfall of up to 250 millimeters is expected in the area, but the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, says there is no risk of radioactive wastewater overflowing from the reactor turbine buildings.

. . . . 18:00All quiet in my region of Ohaga.But just watching TV is painful, with so much damage here and there ... and more to come as the typhoon continues his trail across Japan.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 18:45 Typhoon Roke makes landfall in central JapanTyphoon Roke is moving northeast after making landfall on the Pacific coast of central Japan. The Meteorological Agency is calling for maximum caution against possible mudslides, floods, strong winds and high waves.The agency says that after making landfall near Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, at around 2 PM, the typhoon was apparently near Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture at 6 PM, heading northeast at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour.The storm has an atmospheric pressure of 955 hectopascals and is packing winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour.Maximum instantaneous winds of up to 155 kilometers per hour were observed in Hachioji City, Tokyo, 151 kilometers per hour on Izu-oshima Island, south of Tokyo 125 kilometers in Yokohama City at about 4 PM.Between 4 PM and 5 PM, 52 millimeters of rain fell in Gotenba City, Kanagawa Prefecture, 44 millimeters in Yamanakako Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, and 43 millimeters in Okunikko, Tochigi Prefecture and 31 millimeters in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. The meteorological agency says that 90 millimeters of rain apparently fell in Fujiyoyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture.During the past 24 hours, more than 400 millimeters of rain has fallen in Tokai region and Yamanashi Prefecture and more than 200 millimeters of rain fell in northeastern Japan.The typhoon has left 4 people dead and 3 others missing. 28 people have been injured across the country.As of 3 PM on Wednesday, more than 1,000 homes in 30 prefectures have been inundated by heavy rain. More than 89,000 households in 13 prefectures have lost power.Evacuation orders or advisories have been issued for about 177,000 households, or 450,000 people, mainly in western and central Japan.The typhoon has also disrupted the country's air and shinkansen bullet train services.

Tokyo has sustained much damage by the strong wind, while the damage in Nagoya is more from the strong rain.On many pedestrian crossings in Tokyo, there were special guard men to pick up the broken umbrellas, thrown away and out of the hands of those who braved the storm.

Costal towns in Tohoku have again inundated by mud-rain. Some of the provisional housing areas have been almost flooded by water streaming down the mountain slopes. Helpers started digging small ditches to divert the worst of the water, but the poor inhabitants, who have survived the tsunami on March 11, are now again fearing and fleeing the forces of water again.

In another provisional housing area, the flooding was so strong they had to evacuate again into a school hall elsewhere - just imagine their feelings !

Some of the orchards in Aomori have been spared by the wind, but gotten under water along riversides. The muddy apples are now no longer for sale.

quote Typhoon, Quake Hit Battered Japan, 1 Million EvacuatedA powerful typhoon made landfall in the main island of Japan today, killing at least six people, and forcing the evacuation of more than a million others. And just hours later the country was hit with an earthquake.... In Nagoya, home to Toyota Motor Corp, the city temporarily called off an evacuation warning for 880,000 people once the rivers crested. That didn’t stop Japan’s top automakers from shutting plants as a precaution.

... In Tokyo, the typhoon forced the cancellation of more than a hundred domestic flights, and halted train service at the height of rush hour. At Shibuya station, one of the city’s busiest, thousands of stranded commuters waited patiently for hours, for service to re-start. Other modes of transportation didn’t fare any better, as lines wrapped around the block for buses and taxis.MORE :source : abcnews.go.com

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Honshu pounded by Typhoon RokeTyphoon Roke slams into Honshu, killing seven people and prompting the Meteorological Agency to call for "the greatest possible vigilance." http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110922a1.html

Storm halts Toyota and MHI plants in AichiToyota and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries temporarily suspend operations at their plants in Aichi Prefecture because of Typhoon Roke. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20110922a2.html

Thursday, September 22, 2011 09:32 - NHK newsTyphoon Roke moves off northern JapanTyphoon Roke has passed over to the sea off northern Japan after making landfall on the Pacific coast in the central part of the country.The Meteorological Agency says that as of 8 AM on Thursday the typhoon is moving north-northeast over the sea 70 kilometers off Nemuro city, Hokkaido, at 65 kilometers per hour.Some areas along the Pacific coast of the region were engulfed in the storm at the time. The typhoon was also bringing rain to eastern Hokkaido.Stormy weather is expected to continue in waters along the Pacific coast.Advisories have been issued for the area as high waves may cause flooding.The typhoon left 6 people dead and 6 others missing throughout Japan.

Thursday, September 22, 2011 12:17Typhoon isolates 472 people in disaster-hit TohokuIn Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, people living in temporary housing were isolated overnight on Wednesday due to flooding caused by a powerful typhoon.Typhoon Roke hit wide areas of Japan on Wednesday, including Onagawa Town and other areas in the Tohoku region that were devastated by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami.As a river was flooding, evacuation instructions were issued to 472 people, or 170 families living in temporary housing since the quake disaster. But they could not reach the designated location on higher ground because the access road was flooded.They spent the night in a nearby community center until Ground Self-Defense Force personnel entered the area early Thursday morning.A 66-year-old man said people looked scared as they were stranded at the community center through the night.

The typhoon has left at least 10 people dead, 5 missing and more than 300 injured across Japan.

Thursday, September 22, 2011 14:23 - NHKTyphoon Roke spares Fukushima plantTyphoon Roke has inflicted no major damage to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.The typhoon approached the plant on Wednesday night, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the area. Rainwater flowed into the basement of the turbine building of the Number 6 reactor.Of the number one through 4 reactor buildings whose basements are flooded with contaminated water, water levels rose by 44 centimeters at the number one reactor building, and by about 10 centimeters at the other 3 reactor buildings due to rain.The operation of equipment to remove salt from contaminated water was also stopped due to rain.Tokyo Electric Power Company said several cameras to monitor the plant compound and amounts of water injected into the reactors also suffered glitches likely due to rain.

Typhoon Roke has left 12 people dead, 4 missing, and 367 injured across Japan. It was downgraded to a low pressure system east of Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Thursday afternoon.NHK has learned that as of 5 PM, evacuation orders and advisories were in effect for nearly 16,000 people from about 6,000 households mainly in Miyagi Prefecture.Electricity remains out in more than 50,000 households in Tokyo and 12 other prefectures.Roke has flooded 2,860 homes nationwide.The Meteorological Agency warns of landslides as many areas have received heavy rain. source :www3.nhk.or.jp